Yarisley Silva
looking to establish herself as an elite pole
vaulter
HAROLD IGLESIAS MANRESA
ESTABLISHING herself as an elite
pole vaulter is no doubt Yarisley Silva’s goal
during the coming athletics season.
Cuba’s Olympic silver medalist could
possibly be performing on the stages of the world’s
great theaters as a ballerina, instead of soaring
pole in hand. Ballet was her great passion as a
small girl, but a comment about her body type, made
during recruitment testing, led her to choose
athletics at nine years of age.
Good for her, and all Cubans,
otherwise we might not be talking today about
Yarisley as our Pan American champion, our Summer
Olympics silver medalist and the national record-holder
with a 4.75 meter vault.
It was Coach Isidoro, at Manuel
Ascunce Elementary School, in her native province of
Pinar del Río, who got her started. Later, at the
national sports academy (EIDE), her aunt María de la
Caridad supported her. She made the national team in
2002, at 15 years of age with a record of 3.60
meters.
ONE STEP AT A TIME... TO THE TOP
Yarisley has developed patience and
perseverance, to make her dreams come true. In
London she shone, vaulting 4.75 meters, the same
height as gold medal winner Jennifer Suhr, but an
initial fault during the 4.55-meter attempt cost her
dearly. She vaulted cleanly over the 4.55 meter bar
on her second attempt, and subsequently the 4.60,
4.65, 4.70 and finally the 4.75, matching her
personal best, accomplished during the 16th Pan
American Games in Guadalajara. She became the first
Cuban woman to win a medal in a discipline without a
strong Olympic record in the country.
"This year has been the most
important in my sports career, not just because of
the fact that I became an Olympic silver medalist,
matching my personal best, but because of the
consistency I’ve achieved," explained the 25-year-old,
who has recently moved to the El Calero neighborhood
in Vueltabajo.
Right she is, since in 19 of the 22
events in which she has participated, she has
finished among the top three, with 75% of her vaults
equal to, or greater than, 4.60 meters. Her
performance was even better during the summer season.
She won a medal in 14 of the 15 events in which she
competed, for a total of seven gold, six silver and
one bronze.
Does any previous year compare?
"2011, although since 2008 I had
been making 4.50 meter vaults, but this was the year
I joined the elite, it was my take-off, I broke six
national records and finished fifth in the Daegu
World Championship (4.70). I felt a lot of pressure;
I wanted to show that this pole vaulter had
potential in my debut at this level. I think one of
the most satisfying moments was defeating the world
champion and favorite, Brazilian Fabiana Mürer, in
Guadalajara."
Difficult moments in your career?
"Between 2008 and 2009 I was
psychologically down, which additionally affected my
physical condition, as well. Thanks to the support
of my trainer Alexander Navas, the psychologist and
my teammates, I got over it. Navas has been like a
father to me, providing valuable help, very patient
and demanding, knowledgeable, among the best in the
world. Just look at the results, despite the lack of
resources we face."
GOING FOR THE GOLD
In all sports, the coach-athlete
relationship is critical. Navas, conscious of his
role, agreed to concentrate on Yarisley and Dailis
Caballero, the most promising among the four
candidates for the team.
"Five months ago we began general
training. Yarisley has an enviable strength in her
push-off, given her height, we are attempting to
extend her approach to 14 or 16 steps and raise her
hold to 4.30 or 4.40 meters. These modifications
should permit her to vault over 4.80 and go for the
challenging five-meter mark. She usually competes
with a pole which supports 170 pounds of pressure,
with a flexibility of 18.3."
"We’re attempting to get both
Yarisley and Dailis – with a 4.51m personal best –
into the winter circuit, with four or five meets, in
order to then look to stabilize during the beginning
of the Diamond League. The fundamental objective is
the Moscow World Championship, but our work is
ongoing and we need to try out modifications to
confirm their evolution," Navas said.
Yarisley and Navas are united in
their conviction as to the immediate goals and the
direction of their work: to ensure that her
performance is consistent at the elite level and to
compete for the gold medal in the World competition,
set for August 10-13, 2013.
